Ryan Stevenson - The Great Awakening Lyrics

Album: The Great Awakening
Released: 07 Oct 2022

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Lyrics

We were sleeping
Day dreaming
Chasing our own kingdoms
Building up our towers to the sky

We were living complacent
Stuck in our own ways
And sometimes freedom keeps us much too satisfied

Can You open our eyes?
Lord, bring us back to life

Now is time we rise, let us burn with holy fire
Now is the time we cry for every heart to find the light
We need revival to come, make this the moment that it does
Lord, we're on our knees, we just wanna see
A great awakening!

Take our selfish ambition
Give us ears to listen
So we don't miss the heartbeat of our king
Be our strength, be our hope, be who you've been all along
There's nothing in this world you can't redeem

We're calling out your name, hear your people pray
Flood us with your healing, flood us with your grace

God we need
God we need
God we need
A great awakening!
God we need
God we need
God we need
A great awakening!

Video

Ryan Stevenson - The Great Awakening feat. Danny Gokey (Official Lyric Video)

Meaning & Inspiration

Ryan Stevenson's "The Great Awakening," released on October 7, 2022, from the album of the same name, arrives as a powerful and timely anthem, a fervent prayer for spiritual renewal in an age often characterized by distraction and self-reliance. The song’s message is an urgent call for divine intervention, tracing a journey from a state of spiritual slumber to a desperate yearning for God’s transformative presence. It unpacks the collective human tendency to drift into complacency, to chase personal ambitions and build "towers to the sky," reflecting a self-centered existence that ultimately falls short of eternal purpose, much like the builders of Babel in Genesis 11. This initial state of being "sleeping, day dreaming, chasing our own kingdoms" resonates deeply with the biblical admonitions in Ephesians 5:14 to "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you," highlighting a pervasive spiritual apathy that often blinds us to deeper truths.

The narrative further explores this spiritual lethargy, describing a life "living complacent, stuck in our own ways," where even the gift of freedom can lead to a dangerous satisfaction that keeps us from seeking higher ground. This contentment in our own making mirrors the Laodicean church described in Revelation 3:17, which believed itself rich and self-sufficient yet was spiritually poor and blind. The lyrics then pivot to an earnest plea, a moment of profound humility, asking, "Can You open our eyes? Lord, bring us back to life." This cry echoes Psalm 119:18, where the psalmist prays, "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law," and reflects the desire for the life-giving Spirit of God to awaken hearts dead in trespasses, as described in Ephesians 2:4-5.

The core of the song manifests in its impassioned chorus, a declaration that "Now is time we rise, let us burn with holy fire." This isn't merely a request but a summons to action, an invitation to embrace the fervent zeal often associated with the Holy Spirit, reminiscent of the tongues of fire at Pentecost in Acts 2, which empowered believers to boldly share the light of Christ. The collective cry for "every heart to find the light" underscores the Great Commission, urging believers to illuminate the world with the truth of Jesus, "the light of the world" (John 8:12). The deep-seated need for "revival to come" is palpable, a humble acknowledgment that true transformation originates from God alone, a concept beautifully articulated in 2 Chronicles 7:14, where God promises to heal the land if His people humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways. The posture of being "on our knees" is a poignant symbol of surrender and earnest prayer, a position of total dependence on a sovereign God.

As the song progresses, it delves into the specifics of this transformation, asking God to "Take our selfish ambition" and "Give us ears to listen, so we don't miss the heartbeat of our king." This surrendering of self-will aligns with Jesus' teaching in Matthew 16:24, calling believers to deny themselves and follow Him, and with James 3:16, which warns against the disorder caused by selfish ambition. The desire to truly hear God’s voice and discern His will resonates with John 10:27, where Jesus states, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." The declaration "Be our strength, be our hope, be who you've been all along" affirms God’s unchanging character and faithfulness, a foundational truth found in Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." The profound statement, "There's nothing in this world you can't redeem," serves as a powerful reminder of God's limitless power to restore and renew even the most broken situations, a theme prevalent throughout Scripture, particularly in Romans 8:28, which speaks of God working all things for good for those who love Him.

The bridge intensifies the plea, "We're calling out your name, hear your people pray, Flood us with your healing, flood us with your grace." This is a desperate cry for God's mercy and intervention, a recognition that only divine grace can bring true healing and restoration. Joel 2:32 promises salvation to all who call on the name of the Lord, while passages like Isaiah 58:8 speak of healing breaking forth like the dawn. The repeated emphasis on "God we need A great awakening!" in the outro is not just a chorus but a visceral, communal prayer, expressing an urgent and collective yearning for a pervasive spiritual revival that touches every heart and transforms society. "The Great Awakening" is more than a song; it's a profound spiritual declaration, challenging us to move beyond complacency and earnestly seek a vibrant, living relationship with the Creator, inviting His transformative power into our lives and world.